Watergate

[Gigolo-Aunt]

In the last week have watched quite a few doco's on this. From the initial incident at the hotel up until how Nixon was given a pardon if he resigned, find the whole thing fascinating. It showed the murky world of politics with Nixon being brought down by the taping machines he had installed in to the Whitehouse.

 

Does anyone recommend any books on this?

[Dusk_Till_Dawn]

This:

 

http://books.google....id=6MYYI_LNfWsC

 

It's Woodward and Bernstein's account of how it all happened and how they chased the story down. Sensational

[willie wallace]

This:

 

http://books.google....id=6MYYI_LNfWsC

 

It's Woodward and Bernstein's account of how it all happened and how they chased the story down. Sensational

 

I have read the book 2 or 3 times and still find it amazing that what seemed a trivial incident [the burglary at Watergate] turned into the downfall of the US president.I think he even won a second term in a landslide victory while this was going on.

The movie is also worth watching.

[Gigolo-Aunt]

This:

 

http://books.google....id=6MYYI_LNfWsC

 

It's Woodward and Bernstein's account of how it all happened and how they chased the story down. Sensational

 

Cheers DTD. Will check that out.

[Tazio]

In your head it isn't really a place anymore. I was in Washington a couple of years ago and at lunchtime asked the Americans I was working with where I should go for lunch. They just said "pop into the Watergate, there are food shops there" at which point I realised it was right next door to where I was working. I got a great photo of the "Welcome to Watergate" sign as you walk into it.

 

Just a big boring office complex with a few sandwich shops, in your head it should be something more.

[Dusk_Till_Dawn]

 

 

I have read the book 2 or 3 times and still find it amazing that what seemed a trivial incident [the burglary at Watergate] turned into the downfall of the US president.I think he even won a second term in a landslide victory while this was going on.

The movie is also worth watching.

 

I think the most amazing thing is how the Washington post picked up on the story. Right court at the right time and on the ball.

[Gigolo-Aunt]

The poor secretary to Nixon who was going to take the fall for wiping huge segments of the tapes - until it was proven that she would have to be in such an unnatural position if on the phone at the other end of the desk/with her foot on some sort of pedal.

[I P Knightley]

In your head it isn't really a place anymore. I was in Washington a couple of years ago and at lunchtime asked the Americans I was working with where I should go for lunch. They just said "pop into the Watergate, there are food shops there" at which point I realised it was right next door to where I was working. I got a great photo of the "Welcome to Watergate" sign as you walk into it.

 

Just a big boring office complex with a few sandwich shops, in your head it should be something more.

I used to stay in the Watergate Hotel on trips to DC. Excellent hotel, conveniently located for the IMF and the World Bank as well as the delights of Georgetown. It had closed down the last time I went about 4 years ago. I could never quite get my head around the fact that this was a place of such significance in USA's political history but it was so discreet and nondescript. I think I was the only guest who played 'spies' in the breakfast room.

[Tazio]

I used to stay in the Watergate Hotel on trips to DC. Excellent hotel, conveniently located for the IMF and the World Bank as well as the delights of Georgetown. It had closed down the last time I went about 4 years ago. I could never quite get my head around the fact that this was a place of such significance in USA's political history but it was so discreet and nondescript. I think I was the only guest who played 'spies' in the breakfast room.

 

Thank christ for Georgetown, otherwise Washington would be the most boring place on earth. And I've been to Canberra!!

[Gorgiewave]

Nixon eventually recovered a good portion of his public standing. Chuck Colson ended up arguably better as a result of Watergate. John N. Mitchell did terribly and Gerald Ford - who became both Vice-President and President despite never running for either office - arguably did worst of all. Howard Hunt is an interesting figure from the whole episode, maybe the most sinister of the cast. The film of All the President's Men is also very good.

[Gigolo-Aunt]

Nixon eventually recovered a good portion of his public standing. Chuck Colson ended up arguably better as a result of Watergate. John N. Mitchell did terribly and Gerald Ford - who became both Vice-President and President despite never running for either office - arguably did worst of all. Howard Hunt is an interesting figure from the whole episode, maybe the most sinister of the cast. The film of All the President's Men is also very good.

 

Howard Hunt in the last lap of his life confessed to having been involved with the JFK assassination. David Morales is another shady character.

[Dusk_Till_Dawn]

 

David Morales is another shady character.

 

I know, released about 8 remixes of needin you before anyone realised he was taking the piss.

[Chaka Demus & pliers]

 

 

I know, released about 8 remixes of needin you before anyone realised he was taking the piss.

 

[Jamhammer]

American politics is infinitely more interesting than ours. Loved the film and the book ATPM. There's another one too called The Final Days. Proper journalism.

We sailed past the Watergate building on a wee boat when we were there. I loved Washington. The Air and Space museum was awesome and Arlington and all the monuments. I suppose you just have to be into all that kind of stuff.

[WavyGravy]

One of my top 5 films of all time is All The Presidents Men (hence my avatar). Fantastic film.

 

What is the best book to read on the subject? Need some new reading for my Kindle

[Gorgiewave]

One of my top 5 films of all time is All The Presidents Men (hence my avatar). Fantastic film.

 

What is the best book to read on the subject? Need some new reading for my Kindle

 

Maybe not for a kindle, but

 

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2005/07/deepthroat200507

[cosanostra]

In your head it isn't really a place anymore. I was in Washington a couple of years ago and at lunchtime asked the Americans I was working with where I should go for lunch. They just said "pop into the Watergate, there are food shops there" at which point I realised it was right next door to where I was working. I got a great photo of the "Welcome to Watergate" sign as you walk into it.

 

Just a big boring office complex with a few sandwich shops, in your head it should be something more.

 

Funny you should say that as I had an almost identical experience when I went to Dallas and saw where JKB was shot and killed.

The grassy knoll is absolutely tiny. I was expecting a huge hill or slope covered in bushes and trees. It's barely larger than a verge and hard to imagine the second gunman setting up there. The book depository is also tiny. It's not even as tall as a Glasgow tenement.

I was expecting huge dramatic buildings with statues, tributes and hundreds of tourists everywhere, looking at the spot where a huge part of American and world history took place.

There's nothing other than a small metal plaque on the road where his car was when he died. There are no tourists or visitor centres with photo snapping Japanese busloads jockeying for position.

I guess they're not proud of it so they don't make a big deal about it.

Same with Watergate.

My American ex-bursd family that we were staying with thought that it was weird and ghoulish that I even wanted to see the spot where it happened. Go figure.

[Hugh Phamism]

Funny you should say that as I had an almost identical experience when I went to Dallas and saw where JKB was shot and killed.

The grassy knoll is absolutely tiny. I was expecting a huge hill or slope covered in bushes and trees. It's barely larger than a verge and hard to imagine the second gunman setting up there. The book depository is also tiny. It's not even as tall as a Glasgow tenement.

I was expecting huge dramatic buildings with statues, tributes and hundreds of tourists everywhere, looking at the spot where a huge part of American and world history took place.

There's nothing other than a small metal plaque on the road where his car was when he died. There are no tourists or visitor centres with photo snapping Japanese busloads jockeying for position.

I guess they're not proud of it so they don't make a big deal about it.

Same with Watergate.

My American ex-bursd family that we were staying with thought that it was weird and ghoulish that I even wanted to see the spot where it happened. Go figure.

 

Now there's a Freudian for you....

 

[cosanostra]

Now there's a Freudian for you....

 

 

I can't quite believe I did that.

[Jamhammer]

 

Wee picture of The Watergate Building.

[mullen13]

Can somebody please educate me as to the full story? Obviously in summary, CBA reading wiki.

 

My understanding is that somebody noticed movement in the watergate building during the night and called the authorities? Nixon was found to be covering something up and lost the presidency as a result?

 

Pardon my ignorance, I am usually a bit of a history geek but not really when it comes to American politics of recent decades.